I recently started writing. I wrote two short stories that I’ve had my close friends read. They mentioned that they enjoyed the stories but that the writing felt awkward in places. This makes sense, since I don’t expect to start writing like Harper Lee in my first story.
I think the best way to get better is to keep writing, but also to keep getting feedback on my writing. The writing part is simple enough, but the feedback part is more complicated. Does anyone know a good way to get feedback from other readers?
Since Cafe Society is the forum for all things literary, one way to get better feedback might be to post in a more appropriate forum. The other writers, both the wannabes and the well-published, tend to hang out there.
I’ll ping the mods for you. Besides, once moved your thread will get exposure in two forums. So potentially twice the feedback.
There’s likely some sort of writing group in your area where members take turns reading and critiquing each others’ work. You can probably find them with a Google search, and if not I’d suggest asking at the local public library and bookstores.
I like the online critique site Scribophile. It has a fairly complicated karma/reputation system, in which you earn points by giving others feedback, before you can use the accrued points to post your own work. It’s also a good framework for developing critique swaps, meeting other writers whose feedback you value.
Critique groups are the way to go, but be aware of the skill level of the members. They can almost always get you past the obvious mistakes, but won’t get you better than they are. In my experience too much praise has been more of a problem than too much criticism.
Check to see if there is a club for writers in your area. They won’t do critiquing, but can introduce you to groups.
There are several levels of critique and editing. The most basic is craft, which can help you remove some obvious problems from your writing. Then there is developmental editing with more global issues of plot and characterization.
Knowing something wrong is easy. Knowing what is wrong is harder. Figuring out the root cause is harder still, and you might have to pay someone for that. But critique groups are a good start, and are free.
The water cooler at Absolute Write has critique sections. If you do Twitter, there is a vast, seamy underworld called “writer twitter” where you can make friends and find critique partners.
Let me make a plug for the fan club, the National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F) which has a “writers’ exchange bureau.” Members send in stuff they want opinions on, the bureau members read it, and critiques (usually constructive and courteous!) are given. n3f.org
Great! If you PM me a link, I’ll try to leave a crit this week.
A few tips: try to post a whole work, rather than bits and pieces, that way it’s easy for someone to get sucked in and read/critique the whole thing.
If you’re posting longer works, join a group (I like Fast Critters) which facilitates whole novel exchanges.
I do think the Premium membership is worth the money, but I post a fair bit. I also feel that writing crits makes me a (much!) better writer, so I think of the money as an investment.
Finally, leave your ego at the door. Good critiques aren’t about you, they’re about your writing. I have had Scrib posters send me messages as they read my crits, sometimes trying to clear up issues in the text (but why wasn’t it clear in the first place?) or to object to the feedback I’m giving. If your reaction to feedback is to argue with it, you’re probably not ready for eyes on your work.
(I’m sure that doesn’t apply to you! Since you’re actively looking for critique!)
If you ever wanna dabble in the more erotic side of things there’s the Lush Stories website.
At the end of most stories there’s feedback comments from other members.
Also a funny messageboard, plus one skeevy-as-fuck, seemingly un-modded chatroom.
Wrote a buncha dirty shit there and then burnt out, about ten years ago.
Very dedicated core of members; quite often good writing, if you can wade past some of the more drool-y, mouthbreather tripe.
